Machine for expanding metal



Aug. 11, 1931. w. w. GALBREATH MACHINE FOR EXPANDING METAL 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 13. 1929.

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Aug. 11, 1931. w. W GALBREATH 1,318,245

MACHINE FOR EXPANDING METAL Filed April 13, 1 29 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 11, 1931. w. w. GALBREATH MACHINE FOR EXPANDING METAL J film a %b \&\ m r 0% 1 m 7 vi a s 2 W s fi M w a -1; l l n w d e 1 II H I! 1931. w. w. GALBREATH 1,818,246

MACHINE ."FOE :E'XP ANDING METAL Filed April 15. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet s Patented Aug. 11, 1931 FTEN IJIAGHINE FOB EXPANDING METAL Application filed April 13,

This invention relates to improvements in machines for expanding metal and, more especially, metal lath of the slitted and ribbed type. F or example, my machine may be used for making expanded metal lath of the kind shown in the patent to L. E. Curtis, No. 1,655,091, granted January 3, 1928.

In that form of device embodying the features of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation; Fig. 2 is a top plan view; Fig. 3 is a view taken as indicated by the line 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a View taken as indicated by the line 4; of Fig.

3; Fig. 5 is an end view; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the rib-forming rollers; Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of" one of the upper chain links; 8 is a similar view of one of the lower chain links; Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken through a pair of chains; Fig, 10 is a bottom plan view of the upper chain; Fig. 11 is a top plan view of a piece of metal after being slitted and ribbed before expanding; and 12 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the metal between the ribs showing the same expanded.

As shown in the drawings, in Fig. 11 there is shown a piece of metal before being expauded by my improved machine. This metal is provided with a plurality of downwardly projecting ribs or grooves, 10, 10. These ribs may project'either downwardly or upwardly or some each way, but, merely for illustration, I have here shown these ribs r as all projecting downwardly.

The ribs may be formed by any suitable mechanism. The mea s for forming the ribs constitutes no part of the present invention. hlerely for illustration, I have shown a pair of rib-forming rollers 50' and 51 at the front of the machine. The upper roller 50 is pro vided with projecting annular flanges 52 operating in co-operating annular grooves 53 in the lower roller so that as the sheet of 45 metal is passed between the rolls, five down- 1929. Serial No. 354,885.

wardly projecting ribs 10, 10 will be formed.

Either before or after forming the ribs, or contemporaneously therewith, the sheet of metal is subjected to a slitting or cutting operation for the formation of the slits 13 which, in the metal illustrated, are in herringbone relation. The means for slitting the sheet forms no part of the present invention.

After being suitably slitted and ribbed, the metal is expanded by my improved expanding machine, which will now be described in detail.

As here shown, the expanding machine is adapted to receive the metal as it issues from the rollers 50 and 51 which form the ribs 10 therein. It is to be understood, however, that this arrangement is merely by way of illustration; and the metal might be fed to the expanding machine from the slitting mechanism or from any other feeding device.

The expanding machine comprises, in gen eral, a suitable bed or support 14 carried by the legs 15. On the bed are arranged a plurality of diverging pairs of chains. Each pair of chains is adapted to grasp one of the ribs 10, a strand of one chain lying above the metal and a strand of the other lying below. The chains are driven to carry the metal along through the machine and since the pairs of chains diverge as they move along, the metal between the ribs is stretched or expanded into the condition shown in Fig. 12. It is to be understood, of course, that there should be provided one pair of chains for each rib 10. I have here shown five pairs of such so chains since, in this particular case, I am dealing with a piece of metal in which I have chosen to form five ribs.

Since each pair of chains is substantially the same, I need describe in detail but one. I have indicated the lower chain, in general, by 16 and the upper chain by 1.7. The lower chain includes a series of links 16, as shown in Fig. 8, each having a groove 16 in its upper surface adapted to receive one of the ribs 10. The upper chain includes a series of links, as shown in Fig. 7, indicated by 17, each having a downwardly projecting rib 1'7 adapted to be pressed into the groove 16 in the lower link so that the rib 10 ot the metal will be securely grasped between the two chains In each chain, the links 16 and 17 are connected. by suitable connecting links 18. Each of the chains is endless. The lower chain 16 passes over sprockets 19 and 20 at the trout and rear ends, respectively, ot the machine, and the upper chain likewise passes over sprockets 21 and The sprockets 19 and 20 are mounted at the ends of I-beams 23 and the sprockets 21 and 22 are mounted. at the ends of beams 24 lying above the beams 23. The upper sur'l ace of each ot the bean'is 23 is provided with a groove acconnnodating a chain 16 and the lower surface of this groove is provided with a suitable hardened metalv liner or track member 26. The members 23 and 21 are held together at the ends by suitable tie bolts 28 and 29, respectively.

The chain 17, where it engages the metal, indicated, in general, by 30, lies in a groove 31 in the member 2 1; and above the chain is a series o'l long links 3.4. also lying in the groove, having on their under side iardened me al strips 33 adapted to be pressed down against the chain 17 by means of springs 23%. Numeral 35 indicates adjusting screws for varying the tension on the springs 34.

The return strands of the upper chain 17 are brought back on top of the members 52 1 in grooves 36, having hardened metal liners The return strands of the lower chains 10 are brought back ingrooves 38 in the bed l l under the members 23.

In the form shown, the sprockets 21 are all mounted on one shatt 39 and the sprockets 1.9 are mounted on a single shalt. 4:0. The sprockets are mounted on a shaft all and the sprockets 20, on a shatt 42. As thus made, it will be seen that the chains (with the exception of the center pair) are not quite in alinemcnt with the sprockets, but the angular diversions of the chains is so slight that they do not jump the sprockets.

The chains may be driven in any suitable manner, as, for example, by means of a sprocket 43 on the shaft 11, and the shafts ll and 4-2 are pi'eiteral'ily provided with meshing pinions i l-.4 and to drive the upper and lower chains uniformly.

Numerals 4:6, 16 indicate clamping bolts to pull the members 2 2 downwardly to cause the chains 16 and 1? to grip the metal. 30 therebetween.

lVhile I have shown and. described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable oi many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scop of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as possible, in view of the prior art.

lVhat I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A machine for expanding slitted and ribbed metal including; a plurality of diverging pairs of chains, both chains of each pair moving parallel to each other and adapted to grasp the ribs of the metal therel'udiwecn; and means for driving said chains to cause the same to move forwardly and diverge from each other while carrying the meta l th eiebetween.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the chains are provided with co-opera'ting parts adapted to engage the ribs ot the metal.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the chains are provided with links having roamcrating ribs and grooves adapted to grip the ribs oil. the metal tluerebetween.

4:. A. machine for expanding ribbed and slittcd metal including; a. support; a plurality oli longitudinally arranged diverging lower members mounted on said support; plurality of longitudimrlly arranged diverging upper members mounted on said support above the lower members and parallel thereto; a pair of endless chains arranged in connection with each pair of said members. the chain on the upper member having a strand. beneath the same and the chain on the lower member having a strand above the same, said strands l' -'i1'ig close together and adapted to grip a rib of metal therebetween; means lior pressing the upper and lower members toward each other to cause the strands of the chain to grip the ribs of metal between the same; and means for driving the chains to cause the same to move a piece of metal gripped between the same forwardly whereby the ribs will diverge with the chains and expand the metal themebetwcen.

5. llT'tillDS -for widening a metal blank having its cross section formed with displaced components comprising opposed sets of guides. each set including a plurality of laterally spaced channel members arranged in diverging relation, the members of one set being in opposed relation to similar members of the opposed set, a series of sprockets arranged at the beginning and end of each set of channel. members, each series being laterally spaced to correspond with the spacing of the adjacent end of the channel members, an endless row of chain-like elements for each channel member, each row extending through the channel of their respective member and having driving engagement with the sprocket at each end of such member, the elements in a channel member of one set being in opposed relation to the elements in the COIIGSPOIltllHg channel member of the opposed set, and means for driving each series of sprockets so as to move the elements of each row successively into and through the channel of their respective member and in a direction such that the spacing of corresponding points in the rows of each set is progressively increased as they move through the channels, the opposed elements being adapted to engage between them determined portions of a blank which is fed between the sets and to move with such portions throughout the diverging movement so as to increase the mutual spacing of corresponding engaged portions of the blank and thereby widen the same.

6. Means for widening a metal blank having its cross section formed with displaced components comprising laterally spaced rows of elements in which the elements of each row are adapted to be fed into engagement with successive portions of the longitudinal margin of a displaced portion and to move a determined distance with the engaged portions during which movement the relative spacing of corresponding points in each row is progressively increased so as to increase in like manner the relative spacing of the engaged portions of the blank and thereby widen the blank, and means for so moving the elements.

7. Means for widening a metal blank having its cross section formed with displaced components comprising opposed sets of blank engaging elements, each set being composed of at least two laterally spaced endless rows of elements, the rows of one set corresponding in arrangement to the rows of the other set and the elements of corresponding rows being adapted for movement along circuitous paths which bring such elements successively into opposed relation for a determined distance of travel during which travel they cooperate to engage a determined portion of the blank between them and to maintain their engagement with such portion, their movement being in a direction such as to in crease progressively to a determined extent the mutual spacing of the rows of both sets whereby the mutual spacing of correspondin g engaged portions of the blank is increased in like manner and the blank thereby wid ened, and means for so moving the elements.

8. Means for widening a metal blank hav' ing its cross section formed with displaced components comprising a plurality of laterally spaced chain-like rows of elements in which the elements of each row are respectively adapted for movement over a fixed circuitous path during a determined port-ion of which. the mutual spacing between corresponding elements of the various rows in creases, the corresponding elements being adapted to en corresponding portions of a blank as they approach the point at which their mutual spacing begins to increase and to maintain their respective engagement with their respective portion while their spacing increases whereby the mutual spacing of the corresponding engaged portions of the blank is increased in like manner and the blank widened, and means for driving said elements.

9. Means for widening a metal blank having its cross section formed with displaced components comprising a plurality of laterally spaced chain-like rows of elements in which the elements of each row are respectively adapted for movement over a fixed circuitous path during a determined portion of which the mutual spacing between corresponding elements of the various rows increases, the corresponding elements being adapted to engage corresponding portions of a blank as they approach the point at which their mutual spacing begins to increase and to maintain their respective engagement with their respective portion while their spacing increases whereby the mutual spacing of the corresponding engaged portions of the blank is increased in like manner and the blank widened, a series of sprockets arranged to guide the elements of each row into engagement with the blank at the beginning of the widening operation, another series of sprockets arranged to guide the elements out of engagement with the blank after the blank has been widened, and means for driving the elements.

10. Means for widening a metal blank having its cross section formed with displaced components comprising opposed sets of blank engaging elements, each set including a plurality of laterally spaced endless rows of elements in which each row is adapted for movement over a fixed path, a portion of which is in diverging relation with corresponding portions of the paths of the other rows in the same set, the elements of one set being in opposed relation with corresponding elements of the opposed set during the diverging movement, and means for driving the elements, the opposed elements being adapted to engage between them determined portions of a blank which is fed between the sets and to move with such portions throughout the diverging movement so as to increase the mutual spacing of corresponding engaged portions of the blank and thereby widen the same.

11. Means for widening a metal blank having its cross section formed with displaced components comprising opposed sets of blank engaging elements, each set including plurality of laterally spaced endless chain-like rows of elements in which each row is adapted. for movement over a fixed path, a portion of which is in diverging relation with corresponding portions of the paths of the other rows in the same set, the elements of one set being in opposed relation with corresponding elements of the opposed set during the clivergin movement, a pair or" shafts respectively arranged in each set at the beginning and at the end of the diverging area, said 5 shafts having driving engagement with the elements, and means for driving the shafts, the opposed elements being adapted to engage between them determined portions of a blanK which is fed between the sets and to move with such portions throi'lghout the diverging movement so as to increase the mutual spacing of corresponding engaged portions of the blank and thereby widen the same. 15 In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of April, 1929.

WILLIAM W. GALBREATH. 

